Expert Commentary Strategy: How to Get Featured in Tier-1 Press

Expert commentary is one of the most powerful—yet underutilized—PR strategies. When journalists need expert quotes for their stories, being the person they call first creates a compounding advantage for your brand and SEO.

What is Expert Commentary?

Expert commentary involves providing quotes, insights, or analysis to journalists working on stories in your industry. Unlike pitching your own story, you’re adding value to stories journalists are already writing.

Why Expert Commentary Works

For SEO and Link Building

Backlinks from high-authority news sites
Brand mentions that build E-E-A-T signals
Diverse anchor text from natural editorial context

For Brand Building

Establishes thought leadership
Builds credibility with potential customers
Creates content for social proof

Getting Started with Expert Commentary

1. Identify Your Expertise

What topics can you speak authoritatively about? Be specific—“marketing” is too broad, but “AI applications in B2B marketing” positions you as a specialist.

2. Create a Media Profile

Prepare:

Professional headshot
Bio in various lengths (50, 100, 200 words)
List of topics you can comment on
Previous media appearances

3. Monitor Journalist Requests

Use these sources to find opportunities:

ResponseSource: UK-based journalist request service
HARO (Help A Reporter Out): International but includes UK journalists
Twitter/X: Follow journalists in your sector
Direct relationships: Build ongoing connections

Crafting Effective Expert Quotes

The best expert quotes are:

Timely

Respond within hours, not days. Journalists work on tight deadlines.

Quotable

Provide punchy, memorable statements that work as standalone quotes.

Balanced

Offer genuine insight, not promotional messages.

Substantive

Add real value with specific data points, examples, or predictions.

Example: Good vs. Bad Commentary

Bad: “Our company believes AI is transforming marketing and we’re excited about the opportunities.”

Good: “We’re seeing B2B companies that adopt AI for content personalization achieve 3x higher engagement rates. The key is starting with your existing customer data, not buying new tools.”

Building Long-Term Relationships

One-off quotes are valuable, but the real power comes from becoming a journalist’s go-to source:

Always deliver - Meet deadlines, be quotable
Follow up - Thank journalists, share their articles
Be available - Respond quickly, even if you can’t help
Add value - Suggest story ideas, provide data
Stay connected - Engage on social media

Measuring Success

Track these metrics:

Number of media mentions per month
Domain authority of publications featuring you
Backlinks generated from commentary
Inbound journalist requests (shows growing reputation)

Scaling Expert Commentary

As your reputation grows:

Train multiple team members to provide commentary
Create a response system for faster turnaround
Develop relationships with multiple journalists per publication
Combine with reactive PR for maximum impact

Ready to establish your experts as go-to media sources? Explore our digital PR services or build your skills with our learning resources.